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Question: Is sodium lauryl sulfate hidden in the gelatin capsules of my fish oil?

Answer: 

Yes, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), also known as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), is used in food products that contain gelatin. Unfortunately it is not always easy to detect SLS by reading the ingredient list. This is especially true when it comes to gel capsules fish oil is encased in. My recommendation is that you contact the manufacturer of the brand of fish oil you use and request a full list of ingredients for their capsules.

SLS is used in medicine, vitamins and supplements in various other foodgrade applications.

The incorporation of SLS as a dissolution agent ensures medications and supplements are evenly distributed and allows each dose to be standardized on a consistent basis. It’s the properties of SLS as an excellent wetting agent that guarantees consistent distribution. Industry could use other dissolution agents, but due to the inexpensive nature of SLS, it is the preferred choice.

SLS is used as a lubricant on the outside of some gelatin capsules; both vegan and animal sourced. Often SLS is applied to the molds the capsules are manufactured in. SLS is also used as an excipient in certain gelatin capsules. Many manufacture’s now provide SLS-Free capsules as consumers have voiced their displeasure regarding the presence of SLS in their vitamin supplements and drugs.

In hard tablets, the use of SLS improves the hardness of the tablet as well as the dissolution of the medication/supplement.

In my opinion the use of SLS in consumable products is not acceptable but I believe an even more dangerous practice is the use of parabens in the capsules themselves and the medications/supplements they encase. One study states “Specifically, parabens are a class of nonpersistent endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) with antimicrobial properties, found in a variety of commercial products including pharmaceuticals, nutritional supplements, personal care products, and food items.”

My recommendation is that you also ask the manufacturer of your fish oil supplement what type of preservative they use in their capsules as well as in the fish oil itself. This way you can be sure of what you and your family are consuming when you take you supplements.